We support the government’s priorities and our Ministers by working as a central agency, working with strong networks across the VPS, to deliver outcomes for the government and the public we serve.
Our vision
To be recognised and respected leaders in Whole of Victorian Government policy and performance.
Our mission
We support the people of Victoria by:
- helping government achieve its strategic objectives
- providing leadership to the public sector to improve its effectiveness
- promoting collaboration across government to drive performance and improve outcomes.
Our values
We uphold the public sector values as enshrined in the Public Administration Act 2004.
Accountability: working to clear objectives in a transparent manner, accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions, seeking to achieve best use of resources, and submitting ourselves to appropriate scrutiny.
Human Rights: making decisions and providing advice consistent with the human rights set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, and actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights.
Impartiality: making decisions and providing advice on merit without bias, caprice, favouritism or self-interest, acting fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and applying fair criteria, implementing government policies and programs equitably.
Integrity: being honest, open and transparent in our dealings, using powers responsibly, reporting improper conduct, and avoiding real or apparent conflicts of interest, striving to earn and sustain public trust of a high level.
Leadership: actively implementing, promoting and supporting these values.
Respect: treating others fairly and objectively, ensuring freedom from discrimination, harassment and bullying, using views to improve outcomes on an ongoing basis.
Responsiveness: providing frank, impartial and timely advice to the government, providing high-quality services to the Victorian community, identifying and promoting best practice.
Our Ministers
We support the following five Ministers:
Premier
The Hon Daniel Andrews MP
Deputy Premier
The Hon James Merlino MP
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Gabrielle Williams MP
Minister for Government Services
The Hon Danny Pearson MP
Minister for Industrial Relations
Tim Pallas MP
Our groups
To best support the government, we manage our functions across the following groups, including two new groups, Digital Victoria and First Peoples-State Relations, to focus on government priorities:
Legal, Legislation and Governance
This group delivers public sector legal, legislation and governance expertise and combines the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and Governance Branch.
OGC is responsible for providing legal and policy advice, including in the areas of administrative, constitutional and corporate law. OGC’s policy focus is on issues in the Premier’s and the Minister for Government Services’ portfolios, principally in relation to Victoria’s public sector, electoral system and subordinate legislation. OGC also supports DPC in the development of legislative and regulatory proposals and manages the department’s freedom of information functions.
Governance Branch unifies DPC’s efforts to promote good governance and public administration, high-quality decision and policymaking, government integrity and accountability, and trust in public institutions.
Digital Victoria
This group was established in April 2021 to drive digital transformation across the Victorian Government. Digital Victoria connects Victoria’s public digital and information technology infrastructure, making it easier for business, communities and citizens to connect with government and to foster Victoria’s digital economy.
Digital Victoria will define Victoria’s first digital strategy, champion the use of data and new technologies and guide and support the public service to create efficiencies and collaborate to better serve Victorians. Digital Strategy and Transformation, Digital Design and Innovation, Victorian Centre for Data Insights, and Cybersecurity branches make up the group.
Cabinet, Communications and Corporate
This group provides services and VPS wide advice to support robust public administration and promote DPC’s role as the First Minister’s department. Through Cabinet Office, CCC provides timely and practical guidance on the operation of Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and the Executive Council. CCC leads work to support DPC meet integrity, financial accountability and institutional governance obligations to Parliament and Ministers. Through Strategic Communications, Engagement and Protocol Branch, CCC also provides specialist communication, event, behavioural insights and protocol advice across government. Corporate Services provides the operational backbone to DPC and its entities, though finance, operations, people and culture and procurement services and assistance.
Social Policy and Intergovernmental Relations
This group brings together social policy expertise with coordination of the State’s intergovernmental relations. The group is responsible for providing policy advice on the health, mental health, education, justice, community security and emergency management, and families, fairness and housing portfolios. The group also leads oversight and coordination of intergovernmental advice, COVID-19 pandemic response efforts, the government’s response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and supports the Office of Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor.
Economic Policy and State Productivity
This group leads economic policy advice to the Premier and Cabinet. The group works in collaboration with relevant departments and agencies to ensure a coordinated whole of government approach to policy and projects in the areas of economic development and recovery; fiscal strategy; regional and suburban development; local government outcomes; regulatory reform; consumer affairs; gambling; racing; major events; workplace safety; international engagement; infrastructure; planning; precincts; transport; energy; agriculture; resources; and the environment.
First Peoples-State Relations
This group was established in April 2021 and is responsible for an extensive program of nation leading work in the areas of cultural rights, self-determination, treaty and truth with First Peoples. The group recognise Victoria’s First Peoples as the self-determining drivers of Aboriginal affairs in Victoria and is committed to building ongoing, just and respectful relationships between self-determining First Peoples and the State. The group is also committed to promoting Aboriginal leadership.
Industrial Relations Victoria
Industrial Relations Victoria (IRV) provides strategic industrial relations legislative, policy and technical advice to government and departments. IRV engages with Victorian employers, employees and their representatives to support a positive industrial relations environment, and advocate for fair and productive workplaces, secure work and gender pay equity. IRV also oversees industrial relations matters and enterprise bargaining policy and processes across the Victorian public sector.
IRV consists of the Private Sector Industrial Relations branch, the Public Sector Industrial Relations branch and the Office of the Deputy Secretary.
Our portfolio entities
Administrative Offices
DPC is responsible for the effective, efficient, and economical management of the following Administrative Offices. Their key initiatives are included in this Corporate Plan:
Office of the Victorian Government Architect
The Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) provides leadership and independent advice to government about architecture and urban design. OVGA puts quality of design at the centre of all conversations about the shape, nature and function of our cities, buildings and landscapes.
OVGA’s activities include the review of significant state and local government projects as well as commercial projects with significant impact to the public. Further, the OVGA leads on significant good design initiatives and provides input, advice and advocacy on policies and issues of relevance to the Victorian Government.
Service Victoria
Service Victoria is a whole of government service capability created to improve the way government transactions are delivered to Victorians and to deliver a more effective customer experience. Service Victoria brings together the most popular digital transactions in one place and has played an important role in the government’s COVID-19 response, developing the QR check-in service and the Service Victoria mobile app. Service Victoria is responsible for implementing the Service Victoria Act 2018 and provides customer service and identity verification functions.
Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel
The Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel transforms policy into legislation and advises the government on its legislative program. The office is responsible for ensuring up-to-date public access to authoritative Victorian legislation. The Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel is also the Government Printer for Victoria, responsible for printing Victorian legislation.
Office of the Governor
The Office of the Governor provides support to the Governor of Victoria in carrying out all aspects of their official duties for the benefit of the Victorian community and maintains Government House and grounds as a unique heritage community asset. The Governor’s role includes constitutional and ceremonial duties, community and international engagement, as well as official municipal and regional visits.
Public Record Office Victoria
The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) maintains the archives of the State Government of Victoria, holding records dating from the mid-1830s to today. PROV manages these for use by the government and people of Victoria. PROV’s collection contains records of decisions, events, people and places that have shaped the history of Victoria. PROV sets mandatory recordkeeping standards for state and local government agencies and provides support and advice on recordkeeping to government.
Other portfolio entities
DPC supports the Premier and our Ministers in their responsibilities for the Victorian Public Sector Commission and the following public entities and special bodies:
- Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
- Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal
- Wage Inspectorate Victoria
- Cenitex
- Labour Hire Licensing Authority
- Portable Long Service Authority
- Victorian Electoral Commission, including Electoral Boundaries Commission
- Breakthrough Victoria Pty Ltd.
Key initiatives for the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Wage Inspectorate Victoria are included in this Corporate Plan, on the basis that their performance against key initiatives will be consolidated into DPC’s annual report.
Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council was created under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 to ensure the preservation and protection of Victoria’s rich Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. With important decision-making responsibilities and entirely Victorian Traditional Owner membership, the Council is the only statutory body of its kind in Victoria.
The Council’s vision is of a community that understands and respects Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and the cultural responsibilities of Traditional Owners. The Council recognises Traditional Owners as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of their Culture.
The Council is made of up to 11 Traditional Owners who are appointed by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
The Council plays an important role in the implementation of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, with its principal functions to: make decisions on Registered Aboriginal Party applications and monitoring them; protect Ancestors’ resting places and returning Ancestors to Country; ensure the safe return to Traditional Owners of their secret or sacred objects in Victoria; manage the Victorian Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Fund; and to implement measures to promote awareness and understanding.
Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal
The Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal was established under the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019 (Act) to support transparent, accountable and evidence-based decision-making in relation to the remuneration of Members of Parliament of Victoria and Victorian public sector executives.
The Tribunal is also responsible for setting the remuneration of elected officials in local government in Victoria.
The Act requires the Tribunal to independently inquire into and make determinations in relation to salaries and allowances for Members of Parliament, remuneration bands for executives employed in public service bodies, remuneration bands for executives employed in prescribed public entities, and allowances provided to Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Councillors in local government.
Wage Inspectorate Victoria
Wage Inspectorate Victoria promotes and enforces Victoria’s wage theft laws, child employment laws, long service leave entitlements, owner driver, forestry contractor, hirer and freight broker obligations.
Wage Inspectorate Victoria gives practical advice, information and support to employees and employers. It conducts targeted information campaigns and investigates complaints. Wage Inspectorate Victoria carries out a range of enforcement functions to ensure the laws are being followed. It works with other government agencies to ensure fair employment conditions.
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